Circle of Life
by LTP-girl
Summary: After and awkward interaction with Cutter, Cabot is shocked to learn what one of her colleagues thinks about her.


**Just some drabble. I was playing with some ideas, and this is what I came up with. Set before Cutter's promotion to Bureau Chief. Please let me know what you think *^_^* Enjoy!**

Disclaimer: I do not own _Law & Order: SVU_ and its characters.

60 Centre Street, Manhattan, NY, Monday, 12:00pm

Cabot glanced up from her mustard and cheese hotdog to see that Michael Cutter had joined the line of lawyers standing before the hotdog stand.

"Hey Alex," he greeted with a nod.

"Hey Mike," she replied, her mouth full of food. She held the heavily doused hotdog away from herself, not wanting to spill mustard on her new grey pants suit.

"The weather's getting better, isn't it?" he mentioned, picking up conversation as he slid his hands in his pants pockets, and glanced up at the cloudless sky.

She swallowed before answering. "Quite." She glanced over at him through her rectangular glasses, before taking another bite. She had been eager to get her hands on something substantial all morning, her stomach having made embarrassing noises all through the Frye hearing she had just attended. Damn, she knew she should have had that second pop-tart before she left.

Cutter sidled next to her. "I've had a great morning," he said.

"Oh, jury's been sent for deliberations on that new case of yours, have they?" she enquired sarcastically, a hint of jibe in her tone.

"The Warden case? Nah. Haven't even got a trial date set. My cops are yet to locate a murder weapon."

"Well what are you so cheerful about?" she wanted to know.

He took a moment to check the messages on his blackberry, before looking back up at her. "Walked past this hot babe in a strapless mini-dress down Hogan Place this morning," he said wickedly in a low voice, a wide grin plastered across his face. "It's like summer's here already."

"Oh, is that why you're acting like the cat who ate the cream?" she laughed, nearly choking, very amused by her colleague's risqué sense of humour.

"This lady was gorgeous. You should have seen her..." he continued. "And not one of those types you'd meet down at the Kitty Korner either, if you know what I mean. I don't know your type, but, this particular gal..."

Alex nearly dropped her hotdog onto the ground, shaken by Cutter's words. "M-my _type?_ Mike - what are you saying?" She was flabbergasted.

Cutter paused awkwardly for a moment, his steal blue eyes meeting her earnest green ones. "Oh, you're not gay?"

Her mouth dropped slightly. "No _I am not_ gay!" She retorted. "Why would you even think that? And furthermore, what business is it of yours if _I am?_"

He stared her up and down for a moment. _Well, for one thing, it would certainly explain the flat heels, pants suits, and high-wear you've been getting around in lately. _"I-I'm sorry," was all he could say. He was about to explain himself, when she had cut him off before he could start speaking.

"Just because I turn up to Jack McCoy's 70th birthday, without a date, does not make me a lesbian, Mike."

"Like I said, I'm sorry," he replied apologetically, his words sounding even more sincere the second time.

He recalled how chatty Alex had appeared when conversing with Detective Benson over a bottle of champagne that night. Granted, they were good friends, but he had never known Alex's eyes to light up like that when talking to a guy, least of all him. It had him wondering.

"You're right, Alex. Your personal life is none of my business," he said. "But with all things being fair, I really did think that you were, you know. And I wanted to talk about something that I thought you'd be interested in."

Her expression softened slightly.

The man serving behind the hotdog stand called out to Cutter, trying to get his attention. "So are you gonna order sir? I haven't got all day."

After paying for lunch, Cutter turned around to face Cabot, but found that she had disappeared. She was nowhere to be seen.

_Oh well, that's enough awkward fraternising for one day_, he thought to himself, feeling relieved. He started to make his way towards the courthouse steps, where he had agreed to meet Connie Rubirosa, when he bumped into another friendly colleague, Sonya Paxton.

"Hey Mike, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there," she said with a smile, stopping to talk with him. She butted her lit cigarette into her coffee cup.

"Hey Sonya."

"You know, it's funny, I was just thinking of you," she said, her expression thoughtful.

"You were?" He sounded surprised.

"You know, there's this new guy at the salon where I get my nails done. Just got over a nasty breakup with his boyfriend," she continued. "He's name's Matt, or was it Mark?" Her eyes met his, her expression enthusiastic. "Anyways, very tall, athletic, muscular, and sweet." She took a moment to admire her freshly manicured fingernails. "The guy does a great French polish. And I thought, hey, he would be just perfect for you, Mike..."

**What do you think? Feel free to comment:-p**


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